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Homemade buttery, sugary goodness in less than 15 minutes.
Toffee bits are so easy to make from scratch, and they taste so much better than the store bought bag ‘o bits. Use them in cookies, in muffins or on ice cream.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 T. water
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
Place all ingredients in a saucepot.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat (about 5 minutes.)
Continue cooking for about 8 more minutes, until the mixture reaches 300 degrees and begins to turn brown.
Pour onto a silpat-lined baking sheet and spread thin.
Allow to cool. Place in a plastic bag and break the bits with a can or measuring cup.
(C) Zestuous, 2013
37 comments
2 pings
Cathryn says:
May 23, 2013 at 08:37 (UTC -7)
Yum is a understatement! I needed toffee bits for a cake recipe & came across this recipe. I don’t have a candy thermometer but gave it a crack & it came out a treat! Not sure I’ll have any left to make the cake, lol! Guess I’ll just have to make some more
Liam says:
March 8, 2013 at 12:52 (UTC -7)
I LOVED YOUR COOKIES. My mom and dad loved them and so did my sister. I put them into a cookie and it tasted amazing. THANKS FOR THE RECIPE SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!
Louisa says:
February 26, 2013 at 02:54 (UTC -7)
A very big thanks from The Netherlands for this recipe. I’ve just tried it and made my kids (and myself) very happy.
diana says:
December 19, 2012 at 23:40 (UTC -7)
Just made some now and the whole family loved them! I added chopping almonds on top though and it taste the same as the herserys skor bits won’t be buying those anymore. Thanks for the recipe!
diana says:
December 19, 2012 at 23:41 (UTC -7)
Oh plus I couldn’t figure out how to vote or I would have and I would have giving you a 5.
Patty says:
December 15, 2012 at 23:42 (UTC -7)
I make this and have never had to grease or line a pan with anything. There is enough butter in the recipe that it doesn’t stick. I also sprinkle chocolate chips on top while it is still warm and spread with a knife. Tastes just like a Heath Bar.
zestuous says:
December 17, 2012 at 11:33 (UTC -7)
What a great idea Patty. I love Heath Bars.
Wende says:
December 12, 2012 at 11:15 (UTC -7)
Thanks so much for this recipe. I just made it and will add the toffee bits to my Almond Toffee Sandies I make every year at Christmas. I have always used store bought so your bits will make them extra tasty!!!
zestuous says:
December 17, 2012 at 11:33 (UTC -7)
Thanks Wende. Almond Toffee Sandies sound wonderful.
Dede says:
December 7, 2012 at 16:30 (UTC -7)
Thanks so much for sharing this.
I had a recipe that called for toffee bits and the commissary and wal-mart , where we live at the moment, do not carry either, almost gave up till I saw this
It was super easy and tastes YUMMY!! So butter smooth, my daughter and I could have eaten the whole thing, before we even made the cookies .
Never will I buy toffee again!!!
zestuous says:
December 11, 2012 at 22:48 (UTC -7)
Wow. Thanks DeDe. I’m so glad you and your daughter enjoyed these. As you know, with Army life it can be hard to find the essentials. It’s fun to improvise…especially when things turn out better.
Dawn says:
November 17, 2012 at 14:09 (UTC -7)
Yum! After years of buying bits, I decided to tryout a recipe. Thank you so much for the recipe and pictures, they really help.
For anyone without a heavy pot (like the author’s Le Creuset), start out with the ingredients over low-med low heat, just hot enough to melt the butter and begin dissolving the sugar. Once that’s done, begin raising the heat up to medium so it can come to a boil. Keep it boiling while you stir, stir, stir and watch the temp with a thermometer. The coloring instantly darkened close to 300 degrees.
I made the bits to go in a cookie recipe. Can’t wait for them to come out!
zestuous says:
November 17, 2012 at 20:52 (UTC -7)
Dawn,
Thanks so much for the thorough instructions using other pots. I hope you loved the cookies!
Brandy says:
November 3, 2012 at 13:21 (UTC -7)
Do you have to use butter or can you use marg?
zestuous says:
November 4, 2012 at 15:06 (UTC -7)
I’ve never tried it with margarine. It may work, but margarine is usually made with oil, so I’m not sure it would develop the right consistency.
Perin says:
December 16, 2012 at 23:59 (UTC -7)
Margarine is 1 molecule away from plastic, so you never want to cook or even eat with it at all. It doesn’t bake things that well, can ruin a lot of baking, butter is better for you, margarine is hydrogenated oil, sticks to your arteries and your kids will suffer years later with plaque on veins, no good! All these oils should be banned already. So many people do not realize. They actually thought margarine was better then butter at one time, but that probably was someone trying to sell their product. Steer clear of anything hydrogenated and make your own candy and cookies, your kids will be eating healthier.
Taylor says:
October 3, 2012 at 18:55 (UTC -7)
I was wondering, do I have to use white sugar, or would brown sugar work too? Can’t wait to try it!
zestuous says:
October 6, 2012 at 12:33 (UTC -7)
I have never tried making them with brown sugar. It’s worth a shot. Let me know how they turn out.
Dina says:
September 30, 2012 at 19:30 (UTC -7)
great idea!
May Lai says:
August 5, 2012 at 05:13 (UTC -7)
Hi , mai I know how much is 1 T. water, I would like to try out yr recipe , it looks awesome . Thanks
zestuous says:
August 5, 2012 at 10:31 (UTC -7)
T stands for tablespoon, which = 1/2 ounce.
Sweetbakingboutique says:
July 26, 2012 at 18:43 (UTC -7)
Ohhh just love the looks of it and will try it right nowww.
Sandy Frederiks says:
June 9, 2012 at 07:18 (UTC -7)
Instead of using silpat, parchment paper would work and you would not need to grease it. Parchment paper can usually be found at the supermarket with the foil, wax paper and plastic wrap, or in a kitchen supply store or – am I allowed to say Costco?
The recipe sounds scrumptious,will try it for my grandkids.
Andrea says:
June 7, 2012 at 20:09 (UTC -7)
I was wondering what I could use instead of a silpat lined cookie sheet. Would it be possible to crisco to grease the pan add flour, and then pour the toffee down?
zestuous says:
June 7, 2012 at 20:30 (UTC -7)
Don’t use flour. I recommend you lay a sheet of foil on the pan and then use Pam, butter, vegetable oil or Crisco. The foil will help you life the toffee off the pan easier.
Andrea says:
June 8, 2012 at 18:19 (UTC -7)
Thank you for your response. I ended up using wax paper instead and it worked out just fine. Soooo good, definitely a keep.
Anonymous says:
February 22, 2013 at 16:36 (UTC -7)
I was glad to read down and read this as getting the silpat isn’t an option for me at the moment.
Gonna make some in about 10 minutes.
Isabel says:
March 28, 2012 at 01:57 (UTC -7)
Hello, I was up late and craving something sweet but had very few ingredients in my house and I came across your recipe. Only took me about 15 min total to make and about 5 min in the freezer and I am enjoying my toffee treat as I type this. I followed as directed but only added a few chopped nuts (leftover little bags from McDonald’s sundaes). Thanks so much for sharing. I definitely will be making more soon!
zestuous says:
March 28, 2012 at 21:20 (UTC -7)
I’m so glad I could cure your late night craving. Thanks so much for taking the time to post your comment…love the nuts addition.
Heather Worley says:
January 4, 2012 at 14:13 (UTC -7)
Made these today! Yummy!! Thanks so much for sharing!
zestuous says:
January 7, 2012 at 20:47 (UTC -7)
I’m so glad you liked them.
Ally says:
January 2, 2012 at 19:10 (UTC -7)
Christie! I love this and tried it, but mine’s not as pretty as yours!! Maybe I cooked it too long…didn’t have a candy thermom, so went w/time…mine’s more ‘chocolaty’ color…true to my boho nature I tweaked it some and added about 1/8 tsp of chili pepper flakes then some walnuts and black finishing salt…it’s really rich and gooooooooooooooooood! I’m going to do it again and TRY to make mine look like yours!!
zestuous says:
January 2, 2012 at 19:19 (UTC -7)
Awesome Ally. I love your creative add-ins. It sounds like the sugar cooked a little too long. I cooked mine in a Le Creuset pot on medium high (burner set to 8) for exactly 13 minutes from the time I turned the burner on to the time I pulled it off the stove.
Ally says:
January 3, 2012 at 13:51 (UTC -7)
Gonna try it again and do it in my Le Creuset, too…I do think I cooked it a little too long, hence the chicory somewhat choco bitter, but interesting, taste. 13 minutes this time…and I’m gonna invest in a candy thermometer!! LOL!! I’m posting my rendition at Ally’s Kitchen, and, of course, giving your link and you total credit!! xoxo
Igor says:
February 8, 2012 at 15:32 (UTC -7)
January 16, 2009 P150K?!!?!?SERIOUSLY?!!? haha. asan na yang mga kseotng yan! Ilabas na yan! Haha
Kathy Mercure says:
January 2, 2012 at 17:04 (UTC -7)
Wow, what a great idea. My mother-in-law could use this recipe. I’ll share it with her too! Thanks for posting.
zestuous says:
January 2, 2012 at 19:19 (UTC -7)
Thanks Kathy. Enjoy.
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[...] syrup and who knows what else. You could try to find some organic or natural chips, OR you could make your own, which is what I’m going to do next [...]
Nutty Chili Pepper Toffee with Hiwa Kai Black Finishing Salt | Ally's Kitchen says:
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[...] Print this entryI’ve never made any real candy in my life in my kitchen. My sweet foodie diva, Christy, at Zestuous on Facebook, posted this cool recipe for toffee. Now what caught my attention was that it could be made in 15 minutes. Seeing how I had a major sweet tooth craving, I jumped up from my computer, and headed to the kitchen to make Christy’s toffee. Here’s the link to her recipe! http://www.zestuous.com/2012/01/homemade-toffee-bits/ [...]